Just think, this will forever put Ock in the halls of infamy. I mean he was there already, but how many villains can say they actually inhabited Spider-Man's body and life, dated his girlfriend, took his job, and who knows what other mischief Ock will get up to before this is over.

I looooooove how arrogant he is to everyone. I mean people must be noticing the personality change in Peter. I am just DYING to see Ock-Peter and Jonah come face to face

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"Sometimes I remember it one way. Sometimes another. If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!"

Heeeeeey, Octophiles! Long time no see! I'm thrilled that this place is still around.

I thought I'd pop in to see what kind of response the ASM/Superior story arc was getting. As predicted, you eight armed hooligans are thrilled =)

I'm glad to see Joker (Doc...whatever you go by these days) is back onboard with the Spidey comics. It'd be a real shame if you missed all this Ock action. I love the Master Planner as much as the next guy, but I was torn over ASM #700. I dunno. I'll wait and see how it pans out. Hopefully we get some good stories before ole Pete is back in the webs.

I like that ASM has been so Ock-centeric lately...I'm just not a fan of Slott's writing. He's too over the top for my taste and his Ock always sounds kinda dopey. Nevertheless...long live Doctor Octopus!

I've been hiding out in college and work. I only recently have been able to catch up on all my comic book reading. I still have a few titles to go, but Spidey was at the top of my list, naturally.

I guess my main gripe with Slott is that he has Ock saying things like "Impotent well" and "No doddling and no lip." He talks like he talks all his lines from 1960s pulp fiction villains. I mean, he's a super-genius...surely such dated terms are below his superior intellect.

And it's not just Ock. I think nearly all of Slott's characters can come off as a little cheesy. Especially older/fatherlike figures like Mr. Fantastic, JJJ, Robbie, Jay, Aunt May...even Iron Man. Does anyone actually say "What is it, son?" "How can I help you, son?" "Good work, son."

It's a definite Your Mileage May Vary kinda thing, Mr. JJJ -- 'cause, me, I actually like the way Dan Slott writes Octavius. He's a super-genius, yes, but he's also an arrogant, self-inflated, narcissistic, pompous individual who believes himself better than everyone else around him. The man has an ego that rival's Doom's! So, it works for me.

Of course, I'm biased, 'cause I like a little cheese in my comics, and I also tend to write Ock's voice the way Slott does. Including the occasional referring to himself in the third person.

Picked up ASM 700 today after a 10 year period of not buying individual issues(I love collected trades). And I enjoyed it and hope to find and pick up Superior this weekend. I'm so happy I decided to start buying comics again!!

I rewatched Spider-Man 2 last night for the 98745212587th time. It's still as great as ever. Molina's Doc Ock truly is the the crown jewel of villains in Raimi's trilogy.

No question. And the tentacles are so well realized!

I'm curious to see if and when the new cycle of movies will do Ock, and how they'll interpret him.

By the way, while I'm not a huge fan of the Ultimate Spidey cartoon or anything (though it's slowly growing on me, if still inferior to SSM), but season 2 starts next week, and looks like it'll be an hour-long episode with the Lizard... and Doc Ock.

So who's been reading Superior Spider-Man? I cannot stress enough how much I am loving this title so far. The latest issue with the Vulture, where it showed Ock seemed to have some kind of warped respect for Toomes because we saw via one of Ock's memories that Toomes showed it to him back in their early Sinister Six days was a neat touch. Though it didn't stop Ock from doing what he did to Toomes at the end of the issue!

I loved the flashback memory to Ock's childhood where Peter saw his father beating him as a child. These kind of personal touches are really enhancing the story for me.

As for Spidey-Ock's reaction to a "Spider-Signal", I was laughing my ass off. Priceless. Jameson's face was a picture when Ock explained the stupidity of it. In some ways Ock's Spidey is more funny than Peter's, and he's not even trying to be. His arrogance and ego is hilarious.

Did anyone read this Avenging Spider-Man issue;

It's brilliant, and it bridges the gap nicely between ASM #700 and Superior Spider-Man #1. The cover alone made me want to buy it. The great story inside was just an extra bonus.

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"Sometimes I remember it one way. Sometimes another. If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!"

I've really been enjoying Superior Spider-Man to be perfectly honest, and will be savoring this storyline for however long it will last due to Ock being my absolute favorite Spidey villain, as well as the predicament Peter finds himself in as essentially a witness to how Otto behaves in his body, and his new role as a "Superior Spider-Man". The idea of Peter and Otto going into each other memories is an interesting one, and I'm also looking forward to seeing how that ultimately plays out in their relationship/rivalry in the future.

So far, I find this just as fun as when Lex took over Action Comics for a short while (which I absolutely loved).

I've been reading both Superior and now Avenging Spider-Man and loving both. I mean, how could I not? Slott and Yost both do a fabulous job writing for Octavius (though I wasn't really thrilled with the, uh, lechery angle in SSM #2) and the artwork's been fabulous.

Octavius is a creature of Science and fact. I doubt his first thoughts would run to omens or seeing things.

Very true, however with the recent happenings in his life could that not occur to him? Or at least a thought of him being insane? As I don't think he could believe he was actually talking to Peter? I don't think he could believe in ghosts, if he even is a ghost but residue of Peter's consciousness...or someting.

Ock is definitely a firm believer of science, but Marvel is full of supernatural things as well. I do think Ock is capable of believing anything with the right evidence.

But yeah, I suppose it would be foolish if his first thoughts would involve something of the supernatural/fantasy sort.

What did you all think of Ock's reaction to Toomes using children as goons? It seemed out of character for Otto to care about anyone other than himself. He had a sort of respect for Vulture for years and all of a sudden he sees him as a monster? The fact that Toomes is a frequent member of the Sinister Six would make it pretty clear he isnt a choir boy. That's why Octopus invited him in the first place.

What did you all think of Ock's reaction to Toomes using children as goons? It seemed out of character for Otto to care about anyone other than himself. He had a sort of respect for Vulture for years and all of a sudden he sees him as a monster? The fact that Toomes is a frequent member of the Sinister Six would make it pretty clear he isnt a choir boy. That's why Octopus invited him in the first place.

I really liked Ock trying to reason with Toomes and offer him a way out. It did seem unusual for Ock to react in such a way to the children and the flashback to his past surprised me. The he does a complete 180 on Toomes and just attacks him. It definitely seems like Ock is changing.

Has Doc's childhood been so revealed before? I was surprised to see the flashback with his father.

I really liked Ock trying to reason with Toomes and offer him a way out. It did seem unusual for Ock to react in such a way to the children and the flashback to his past surprised me. The he does a complete 180 on Toomes and just attacks him. It definitely seems like Ock is changing.

Has Doc's childhood been so revealed before? I was surprised to see the flashback with his father.

We knew that his father was a tyrant. I dont know if he was ever shown specifically that Torbert ever hit Otto but we knew he was afraid of his father. It was implied, I think.

I always understood that Torbert was physically violent. In Year One, we see him chasing Otto to his room because Otto's gotten his glasses broken, and Torbert's got his belt off -- a sure sign he intended a whuppin'. He's always been depicted as a big, loud, angry man and Otto's feelings toward him have always seemed to center around hate and fear.

Otto's reaction to Toomes using children in SSM #3 didn't surprise me, but I took some time to think about all the comics I've read (and believe me, I have probably read just about every comic Ock's ever been in), and while he's never EVER shown any great love toward children, he's never specifically targetted them, either.

Oh, sure, plenty of his schemes would have caused children to die along with adults, but he's never gone after them directly.

Octavius has always been an evil man, a narcissistic and violent man, but there are some lines he won't cross.

Yes, Torbert in Year One ran after Otto with the belt in his hand. It looked like Otto took a few beatings when he was a child.

I never even considered Otto's reaction to the children to be strange. Because it tied in with the flashback of his own childhood and his father mistreating him, I assumed that's what why it bothered him. I mean it was more the fact that Toomes forced him to beat up a child that bothered him.

Blowing up a city and giving them instant death with no suffering like that is not the same thing. At least in Ock's mind.

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"Sometimes I remember it one way. Sometimes another. If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!"

Blowing up a city and giving them instant death with no suffering like that is not the same thing. At least in Ock's mind.

Exactly. Plus, I doubt Ock even considered the individuals who'd die in his schemes -- those victims would just be all a faceless mass. The only people I remember him murdering specifically are adults (and, yes, he's pretty heartless about that).

Strange as it may seem, scheming to turn Manhattan into a radioactive wasteland (as he intended in the Owl/Black Cat arc way back when) is a far cry from physically striking some poor dumb little kid who's wearing a vulture costume. (Not to mention using children as henchmen... ick! At least Ock's hires were always professionals.)

I've been meaning to pick it up. I read the first five issues and decided to drop it once I get the sixth issue due to financial issues (stupid double shipping!). From then on I will only pick up issues with Spidey in them.